Friday, April 16, 2010

Dolphins trade Ted Ginn Jr. to 49ers for fifth-round pick

After three disappointing seasons in Miami, the Dolphins have finally cut ties with 2007 first-round pick Ted Ginn, Jr., trading him to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a fifth-round pick in next week's 2010 NFL Draft.

A dynamic playmaker at Ohio State, Ginn was the controversial ninth overall pick by former Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron and general manager Randy Mueller that was met with immediate disapproval by the Miami faithful.

In three pro seasons with the Dolphins, Ginn caught 128 passes for 1,664 yards and five touchdowns, while also adding three touchdowns on returns.

Ginn's best season with the team came in 2008, when he led the Dolphins' receivers in receptions (56) and receiving yards (790) and touchdowns (2).

2009 was a rough season for Ginn, as he experienced some crucial drops (a league-leading 10 in all) and saw his receiving totals fall to 38 receptions, 454 yards and one touchdown while fan ridicule was as high as ever.

Ginn did have one shining moment in 2009, as his two 100-yard kickoff returns for touchdowns (an NFL record) against the New York Jets on Nov. 1 propelled the Dolphins to a 30-25 victory.

Analysis

It's no surprise to see Ginn traded at this point, as he was coming off the most disappointing season of his three-year career and the Dolphins recently acquired a true No. 1 wideout in Brandon Marshall.

Ginn certainly flashed play-making ability during his time with the Dolphins with three returned touchdowns and two scores on reverses/end-around plays, but his propensity to avoid contact and his recent drop-problem prevented him from becoming a true starting-caliber receiver in the NFL.

I was always one of Ginn's biggest defenders during his time with the Dolphins, and I think his sophomore campaign was solid, especially given the offensive style and a quarterback (Chad Pennington) that wasn't a great fit with Ginn due to lack of arm strength.

Still, it became quite obvious during the 2009 season that the pressure from fans was becoming too much for Ginn, which created more and more problems with his play.

I don't think Ginn will ever become the receiver a player drafted that high should, but I do believe that, if he is ever going to succeed, it would have to be in a new environment.

As the team usually only keeps five wideouts, I expect the Dolphins to use a mid-round pick on the position, and let said rookie battle it out for the No. 5 job with 2009 third-round disappointment Patrick Turner.

The trade also leaves Miami without a true home-run threat in the return game, and potentially without anyone to handle the job. As things stand, Patrick Cobbs would likely return kicks and Davone Bess punts, though neither player is ideal for such roles.

How do you feel about the trading of Ted Ginn, Jr.? Share your thoughts on the forum here!